Think of the most used piece of furniture in your home… Does the good old couch come to mind?

We sit, we lay, we nap and we entertain on and around it. So when purchasing a new statement in our home it can be a daunting procedure, especially with so many options on the market.

So with the help from Canningvale, here’s what to keep in mind and what questions to ask for that next big purchase:

Lifestyle:

• Who lives in your house (children and pets including)
• Do your pets shed hair?
• Do you regularly entertain and congregate on the lounge?
• How do you use your sofa (do you eat on it, sit or lie down)?
• What do you like and dislike about your current sofa?

Your lifestyle is one of the key factors to consider when searching for that newest piece of investment furniture for your home. Answering these questions will enable you narrow down various options you might have in mind.

Size:

• What does the room look like and what are its dimensions?
• What are the dimensions of the sofa?
• How big are the other items in the room?
• How far away or close is it to the television?
• Is there really enough room for that recliner?
• Transporting the furniture throughout the house – is it possible?

Sizing is another big factor to take into mind. If the room is small, overcrowding it with a the largest sofa available may be impractical especially if you’ll be maneuvering around the room to get comfortable.

Canningvale Rilassato 2 Seater Sofa. Image Canningvale Instagram

Fabrics:

• Do your pets sit on the couch with you?
• Is there exposure to sunlight which may cause the fabric to fade? (or sparkle like Edward Cullen?)
• Do you have any hesitations with cleaning the sofa?

Before settling on style of lounge consider the fabrics and upholstery, especially if your family pet happily sits on the couch and sheds hair. Certain fabrics will hide scratches and won’t catch onto hairs, others are easy to clean. Even without pets; your lifestyle, family and sitting habits will play a role in deciding, red wine drinkers be warned.

Colour:

• What is the overall colour in the room?
• What is the colour of the furniture in the room/house?
• Can styling between seasons on that colour scheme be done with ease?
• Where will the sofa be situated?
• Can the harsh sun impact the colour and result it to fade?

Colour is errythang, absolutely errythang. Even though that fire engine red, leather couch may be a fantastic idea at the time, will it be in the future? (No). By rule, light and neutral colours are always safer to stick to, but the darker the colour, the easier it will be to hide unwanted stains and dirt. Neutral colours are a bonus (and money saver) when it comes to styling. Look for something that will work with a range of colour schemes – pillows and throws are the paint, the sofa is the canvas.

Construction:

• Will the timber feet match the remainder of the room?
• What is the frame of the sofa? Is it reliable?
• Have you read reviews?
• Is it made from recycled materials?
• What is the warranty?

The end of your decision making comes down to quality of construction. As tempting as that super cheap, worse-than-Ikea-quality couch is – do you really want to go through the whole couch shopping process in another three months after one too many friends squish their bootys onto your cheap couch? No. Like anything, invest smart. A little extra money spent on a quality piece of furniture will go a long way and won’t hurt anyone, expect maybe your bank account for a while.

Featured image: Canningvale Elegante 3 Seater Sofa